The Social Archeology Channel

The battle between good and evil as it played out on California’s freeways found a good home in the classic 70s NBC series, CHiPs. It was an airy mix of action, police drama and comedy but that was not all; there were also tight uniforms and a groovy theme song. Continue reading...

There are as many similarities between Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Mary Poppins as there are between the Kennedy and Lincoln administrations – although the latter's are pure coincidence. Both films mixed animation with live-action. Both had magical guardians who enchanted the precocious children under their care. Both took place in London, and actor David Tomlinson had a supporting role in both. Other than that - completely different films. Continue reading...

Who says a candy bar must contain chocolate? Certainly that is the norm, but a few products have managed to leave the cocoa behind and still carve a niche for themselves in the market. One such candy bar is the often-hard-to-find but search-worthy Zagnut bar. Assuming one has no allergies to peanuts or coconut, it is a flavorful and unique treat that has managed to stay above water, despite its chocolate-laden competition, for almost eighty years. Continue reading...

Going to school always involved a certain amount of monotony. You had the same schedule each day, the same boring routine. But there was one particular instance when things were shaken up a bit, when you knew that your day would be decidedly different, for better or worse. It all started when you walked into class and noticed a less familiar face sitting at the teacher’s desk. This could only mean one thing – “We have a sub today!” Continue reading...

It is a scientific fact that if you take a child, place them in a featureless void, forbidden to speak, they will still find a way to entertain themselves. How? By spinning in place, of course. Every kid everywhere spontaneously invented spinning and the activity never lost its appeal. Confusing your inner ear was the first natural high experienced by all toddlers, which was why they always pleaded to go on one more Tea Cup or Tilt-a-Whirl ride at the carnival, even if they were already staggering around like drunks. Enter Sit ‘n Spin, an amusement park for one. Continue reading...

Every once in a while, a premise is so patently ridiculous that it wins the hearts of many, thanks to its unbridled absurdity. And there might not have ever been a stronger contender for the top of the “you’ve got to be kidding” list than Small Wonder, a strangely endearing show about the lives of the Lawson family, who possessed a little, closely-guarded secret – their youngest child was actually a robot. Continue reading...

You and the family are tired and hungry after a long day, when you spot a big statue of a friendly fiberglass fella beckoning you to come inside and try his specialty, a stacked burger with a sublime secret sauce. His name is Bob, the sandwich is called a "Big Boy", and you are soon to be treated to one of the most legendary hamburger eateries to emerge from yesteryear, Bob's Big Boy. Continue reading...

Out of the many films produced by Walt Disney over the years, one could argue that his finest achievement was Mary Poppins, the tale of a magical super-nanny based on a children’s book written in 1934 by P.L. Travers. With the enchanting duo of Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and a masterful score, this 1964 classic has endured as one the most charming family films ever created. Continue reading...